Differences Between Single-Origin and Blended Coffee: Reasons for Blending and How to Enjoy It

Coffee newcomers might not be clear about the difference between single origin coffee and blended coffee. They may wonder why espresso coffee often uses blended beans. As the name suggests, blended beans refer to a mixture of two or more types of coffee beans, and the processed coffee beans are called blended beans.

Purposes of Coffee Blending

First, the purpose is to maintain stable output and continuous long-term supply of coffee needs: When general coffee shops use single origin beans for espresso, they often face the problem of running out of a particular single origin bean. When they need to switch to another type of single origin bean, they encounter the major trouble of having to readjust the formula. Therefore, to maintain long-term stable supply of espresso beans, using coffee beans from origins with larger quantities for formulation can avoid the problem of certain specific coffees running out as much as possible.

Moreover, if there's an issue with the quality of one particular coffee, it can be quickly corrected and replaced with other similar coffee beans. Because it occupies a smaller proportion, after replacement, it can better maintain flavor consistency, unlike single origin beans which have distinct characteristics and account for 100%, once replaced, everything changes.

Second, use different varieties of coffee beans to correct the flavor of the coffee.

There's something important everyone needs to note: Products labeled with flavor names might only contain a tiny amount of coffee beans from the original origin. For example, some coffee shops claim to sell Blue Mountain coffee, but there isn't a single Blue Mountain bean in the entire bag of coffee beans - they just use other coffees to approximate the taste of Blue Mountain coffee beans. If the decision to blend is made for flavor correction, then the strengths and weaknesses between beans can complement each other, achieving balance.

Third, when we need to change the acidity and sweetness of coffee beans, we can use blending to make the coffee overall balanced. Amplify strengths, avoid weaknesses.

Of course, coffee blending requires considering the proportion of each type of coffee bean. When we want to highlight a certain flavor, we can increase its proportion.

If a cup of balanced-flavor espresso cannot satisfy coffee lovers who enjoy novelty, then we can blend a cup of espresso with personality.

For flavor, 1+1 might produce an effect greater than 2.

FrontStreet Coffee's Current Blended Coffee Beans

Sunflower Warm Sun Blend, combining Caturra, Catuai, Pacas, and heirloom varieties. This coffee bean presents fermented wine aroma, vanilla, cream, citrus, and chocolate flavors.

There's also a Flower Butterfly Geisha blend. Flower Butterfly has 40%-50% Geisha as its base, composed of three varieties: Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai. This coffee performs excellently in body, acidity, and floral notes.

Single Origin Coffee

Single origin coffee is composed of "single-origin coffee beans" - just from one origin, same batch, and same processing method. In the same producing region, based on the same natural terroir and cultivation methods, the produced coffee beans are basically consistent, and this taste represents the origin, producing region, bean variety, and has common characteristics.

Because single origin coffee has small production quantities, the price is naturally more expensive than general coffee. Single origin coffee usually adopts light to medium roast levels, aiming to highlight its specific flavor characteristics.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473